A NIGHT TO PARTY

It was hot. It was happening. It was Fashion's Night Out at King of Prussia, and it was clearly a night to remember. Think New Year's eve, but with a dose of shopping and on-the-spot makeovers thrown in. The crowd was giddy, the stores pulled out all the stops, and the retail mood was definitely on the up and up. Herewith, the highlights of everything you might have seen (or by chance missed):

THE STORES: Over 70 stores were ready to party-on the scene were plenty of in-store events, delicious food (yummy cupcakes seemed to be a sweet treat trend), giveaways, wine, beer and fruity drinks, shopping specials, trunk shows and on-the- spot makeovers. At Neiman Marcus, customers previewed new fragrances and makeup lines, like Shu Uemura, and lashed out with fake lashes, some with feathery fringe (yes, made with real feathers) at the Tokyo Lash Bar. At Nordstrom, the feeling was that of a catwalk: The DJ pumped up the music and a revolving fashion show of models stood on pedestals showing off the latest looks for the season. At Madewell, guests could sit and get a quick mani, while listening to DJ Leslie Grace spin tunes 'til closing time. There was a long line at Keihl's, where shoppers guessed how many lip glosses were in a jar to win a beauty product shopping spree, and models in Betsey Johnson party dresses mingled among the crowd. Lilly Pulitzer was definitely in a party mood with a display of vintage Lilly dresses, and a buffet of hors d'oeuvres, butter cookies (shaped and decorated like shift dresses), Lilly punch, and kid-friendly treats. At Wet Seal, it felt like a nightclub, with a DJ spinning tunes and shoppers bopping their way through the racks. Lord & Taylor had plenty of gift with purchases throughout the store, as well as food stations that featured a sampling of cheeses, spreads, and wines that hailed from the local Chaddsford Winery. Pandora was jammed with shoppers sipping champagne and snapping up a sterling silver lobster clasp bracelet (a free gift with a $100 or more purchase).

THE BUZZ: Everywhere you turned it seemed like someone was having a good time. Fashionistas posed for photos by the Grace Kelly gown, hit record on their iPhones to capture the whole scene, and sported the limited edition Vogue Fashion's Night Out black and white tee. Of course, there were tons of happy faces toting shopping bags too, which made store managers and salespeople smile. "It was great to see the energy and excitement in the mall, especially for a Thursday night," says Denelle Drake, PR Manager for Neiman Marcus and one of the organizers of the mall-sponsored event. Shoppers came from the Philly area and other states, including Delaware and New Jersey. "It's fun to check out all the stores and see what they're offering for fall. The whole night felt like one huge party," says Jolie Houston who drove from Wilmington, DE to attend the event. Stores reported a spike in sales, and everyone agreed--Fashion's Night Out exceeded their wildest expectations. "To have everyone come together and put the joy back in shopping is what we wanted, and we got that. It was definitely a night that KOP will be talking about for years to come," says Mark Bachus, Marketing Manager for King of Prussia. That is, until next year, of course!

View a graphic slideshow of the event

See Gene London's entire collection of Hollywood gowns at the Reading Public Museum October 3, 2009 through May 30, 2010